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The World of Critical Role: The History Behind the Epic Fantasy (Critical Role)
by Liz Marsham Cast of Critical Role Critical RoleNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Dive deep into the history of the world&’s most popular fantasy RPG livestream with the cast of Critical Role in this definitive guide featuring never-before-seen illustrations and photos.From its unassuming beginnings as a casual home game between friends to the role-playing phenomenon it is today, Critical Role has become the stuff of legend. These pages chronicle how a circle of friends who all happen to be talented voice actors built the most-watched tabletop role-playing livestream of all time.Discover dazzling new illustrations and richly written insights into the locations, characters, and adventures featured in the hundreds of episodes across Critical Role&’s two campaigns, Vox Machina and the Mighty Nein. Go behind the scenes with archival photos and exclusive interviews with Dungeon Master Matt Mercer and the entire Critical Role cast as they explore their characters&’ most triumphant moments and darkest hours. And celebrate the massive community of Critters who support and expand the show&’s world through a highlighted tour of the crafts, cosplay, and art they create every day. Featuring a foreword from Felicia Day, lush illustrations, and the inside story you won&’t find anywhere else, this book is your indispensable guide to Critical Role. The adventure begins!
A World of Demons: The Villains of Doctor Who
by David BushmanThe first-ever essay anthology devoted solely to the villains the Doctor has encountered over the decades since Doctor Who's 1963 premiere -- including all of the usual suspects (Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, the Silence, etc.), plus plenty of surprises. &“One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel&”—Jean-Antoninette (&“Reinette&”) Poisson, aka Madame de Pompadour, &“The Girl in the Fireplace&” What a world of demons Doctor Who has presented us with over the past seven decades: from Daleks and Cybermen to Weeping Angels and the Silence, the greatest villains of the Who-niverse have achieved an iconic status all their own, cementing themselves in the minds of millions of viewers (why else would Parker Brothers have devised a version of Monopoly after them?). If, as the Seventh Doctor once said, "You can always judge a man by the quality of his enemies,&” the Doctor is great indeed, rescuing the universe time and again from some of the most formidable and terrifying villains in science fiction history. Now, for the first time, an entire anthology of essays is dedicated to deconstructing this gallery of blackguards. Who are the greatest Who villains of all time? Why are they so frightening? And—apologies to Shakespeare—what do they tell us about the villainy of our own fears? Featuring essays by Joseph Dougherty (executive producer, Pretty Little Liars; producer, thirtysomething), Steven Ashby, Anton Binder, Sarah Corey, Ken Deep, Jan Fennick, Hannah Friedman, Mark Givens, Nancy Hutchins, Jennie Jarvis, Don Klees, Chris Kocher, Robin Koman, Charles Martin, Michael Robinson, Steve Sautter, and Shane Thomas. Edited by David Bushman (Conversations with Mark Frost) and Barnaby Edwards (president, Doctor Who New York)
The World of Dew and Other Stories (Blue Light Books)
by Julian Mortimer SmithImagine a world populated by hideous trolls, time-traveling scientists, and intergalactic freighter captains—with smartphones and social media. The World of Dew and Other Stories, chosen by Michelle Pretorius as the 2020 Blue Light Books Prize winner, invites readers into 18 different universes that have unexpected resonances with our own modern life. While these tales are unabashedly sci-fi and fantasy, Julian Mortimer Smith approaches each at a curious angle. Ghosts are cataloged using a Pokémon Go–like app, a soldier has to get enough upvotes on social media before he is allowed to take a shot, and a golden age of cooperation begins as societies around the world prepare for a looming pandemic of blindness. In addition to featuring stories that have appeared in some of the world's top speculative fiction outlets, The World of Dew and Other Stories also includes five new stories published here for the first time.These tales are sometimes terrifying, sometimes touching, sometimes provocative, and occasionally very silly. They function both as windows through which readers can glimpse vast universes waiting to be explored and as mirrors reflecting our own reality back at us in a strange and unfamiliar light.
A World of Difference
by Robert ConquestIn the free world of the future, many people are uneasy about the government's psychological power to control, even benevolently, its citizens' upbringing. Four friends, an artist, a scientist, an administrator, and an amorist, each find their own novel and surprising solutions to the problem of how to retain independence of mind and action in a world where conformity has reached way out beyond just one planet...
A World of Difference
by Edmund CooperThis collection contains one long novella, 'The Firebird', which some critics regard this as Edmund Cooper's finest work. Two stories were written especially for the collection and the remaining stories were written and published over a number of years in various magazines but have not been collected together before in book form.The theme of all the stories is fantasy. Edmund Cooper is fascinated by worlds of the imagination as much as the real world which he sometimes satirises in his books. In this collection, there are elements of tragic fantasy and also of humorous and satirical fantasy. Here are the best of his fantasy stories in one volume.This book contains the following:IntroductionThe FirebirdJahwehThe Diminishing DragonThe Snow CrystalsSecond ChanceI Am a Ghost
A World of Difference: A Novel
by Harry TurtledoveWhen the Viking lander on the planet Minerva was destroyed, sending back one last photo of a strange alien being, scientists on Earth were flabbergasted. And so a joint investigation was launched by the United States and the Soviet Union, the first long-distance manned space mission, and a symbol of the new peace between the two great rivals.Humankind's first close encounter with extraterrestrials would be history in the making, and the two teams were schooled in diplomacy as well as in science. But nothing prepared them for alien war -- especially when the Americans and the Soviets found themselves on opposite sides...From the Paperback edition.
A World of Difference
by Harry TurtledoveWhen the Viking lander on the planet Minerva is destroyed, sending back one last photo of a strange alien being, scientists on Earth are stunned. And so a joint investigation - by the USA and Russia - is launched, the first long-distance manned space mission and a symbol of the new peace between old rivals. Humankind's first close encounter with extraterrestrials will be history in the making, and the two teams are schooled in diplomacy as well as in science. But nothing prepares them for alien war - especially when the Americans and the Russinas find themselves on opposite sides. The bestselling author of the Worldwar and Colonisation sequences has once again set up an epic story of conflict in an alternate world of 'what if?' and 'what could be'. 'The wizard of If.' Chicago Sun-Times'The standard-bearer for alternate history.' USA Today
The World of Disney Mirrorverse
by Disney Jonathan GrayEnter the Mirrorverse with a full-color hardcover volume that explores a new and divergent universe brought to life in the exciting action role playing game!Sinister forces are rising in the Mirrorverse, requiring champions mighty enough to meet the deadly challenge. The World of Disney Mirrorverse gives an in-depth look at powerfully amplified versions of Sulley, Baymax, Jack Skellington, Maleficent, Belle, Buzz Lightyear, Captain Jack Sparrow, Scar and more—all evolved in visually dynamic and unexpected ways as Guardians against the oncoming Fractured hordes seeking to shatter the Mirrorverse. Examine familiar Disney and Pixar locations now altered by Stellar Magic, and explore the magnificent new worlds within Disney Mirrorverse!Get a detailed view of the dynamically evolved characters, surprising design concepts, rich lore, stunning environments, and more! A must have for all Disney and Pixar fans and gamers!
The World of Divergent
by Veronica RothDont miss Divergent, soon to be a major motion picture in theaters March 2014 Fascinated by the world of the Divergent series? This sixty-page bonus, previously only available in the Divergent Series Box Set, includes faction manifestos, a faction quiz, Q&A with #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth, book playlists, discussion questions, series inspirations, and much more It also contains ten enticing teasers from Allegiant, the final book in the Divergent series.
The World of Eldaterra, Volume One: The Dragon Conspiracy
by P. R. MoredunThey've been kicked out of their world. Now they want ours.In 1895 . . . a policeman follows a trail of murders that leads to a discovery too incredible to believe.In 1910 . . . fourteen-year-old James Kinghorn finds an entrance to Eldaterra, the Old World, where magic forces -- good and evil -- struggle for domination. With the help of some unexpected friends, including two dwarf brothers, a beguiling elf, parlanimals, and a wizard with many secrets, James uncovers a deadly conspiracy that began fifteen years before. If the enemy's plans are not stopped, both worlds will plunge into unthinkable chaos. . . .The first book of the World of Eldaterra series weaves mystery and fantasy into an extraordinary, heart-stopping adventure.
The World of Eldaterra, Volume One: The Dragon Conspiracy
by P. R. MoredunThey've been kicked out of their world. Now they want ours. In 1895 . . . a policeman follows a trail of murders that leads to a discovery too incredible to believe. In 1910 . . . fourteen-year-old James Kinghorn finds an entrance to Eldaterra, the Old World, where magic forces -- good and evil -- struggle for domination. With the help of some unexpected friends, including two dwarf brothers, a beguiling elf, parlanimals, and a wizard with many secrets, James uncovers a deadly conspiracy that began fifteen years before. If the enemy's plans are not stopped, both worlds will plunge into unthinkable chaos. . . . The first book of the World of Eldaterra series weaves mystery and fantasy into an extraordinary, heart-stopping adventure.
The World of Flying Saucers A Scientific Examination of a Major Myth of the Space Age (Classics To Go)
by Donald H. MenzelExcerpt: "Both as scientists and as devotees of science fiction, we have long been interested in space travel. When reports of unidentified flying objects began to increase in the years between 1947 and 1952, one of us (D.H.M.) collected and studied the limited information available about the sightings. He soon concluded (with a slight feeling of disappointment!) that the flying saucers were not vehicles from other worlds but were only mundane objects and events of various kinds, some of them commonplace, some familiar chiefly to meteorologists, physicists, and astronomers."
World of Howl Collection
by Diana Wynne JonesOne of the most memorable and irresistible characters in all of literature--the Wizard Howl--is introduced in Diana Wynne Jones's classic fantasy novel Howl's Moving Castle and makes guest appearances in two stand-alone sequel novels, Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways. Howl's Moving Castle was adapted into an acclaimed and Academy Award-nominated film of the same name, produced by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki.Sophie Hatter never intended to set out and seek her fortune. The eldest of three sisters, Sophie thought she was destined to fail. That all changed the day the Witch of the Waste turned her into an old woman. In order to lift the spell, Sophie barges into Wizard Howl's moving castle and strikes a bargain with Calcifer, his fire demon. But Howl is outrunning a curse of his own, and soon Sophie realizes that nothing is as it appears. . . . Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer return in both Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways, two stand-alone sequels full of mayhem, secrets, and magic.
The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire)
by Elio Garcia Linda Antonsson George R. R. MartinTHE NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN HISTORY OF WESTEROS AND THE LANDS BEYOND * WITH HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF ALL-NEW MATERIAL FROM GEORGE R. R. MARTINIf the past is prologue, then George R. R. Martin's masterwork--the most inventive and entertaining fantasy saga of our time--warrants one hell of an introduction. At long last, it has arrived with The World of Ice & Fire.This lavishly illustrated volume is a comprehensive history of the Seven Kingdoms, providing vividly constructed accounts of the epic battles, bitter rivalries, and daring rebellions that lead to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO's Game of Thrones. In a collaboration that's been years in the making, Martin has teamed with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson, the founders of the renowned fan site Westeros.org--perhaps the only people who know this world almost as well as its visionary creator.Collected here is all the accumulated knowledge, scholarly speculation, and inherited folk tales of maesters and septons, maegi and singers, including * full-color artwork and maps, with more than 170 original pieces * full family trees for Houses Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen * in-depth explorations of the history and culture of Westeros * 100% all-new material, more than half of which Martin wrote specifically for this bookThe definitive companion piece to George R. R. Martin's dazzlingly conceived universe, The World of Ice & Fire is indeed proof that the pen is mightier than a storm of swords.From the Hardcover edition.
The World of If
by Stanley G. WeinbaumDixon Wells, a fashionable playboy, is always late. What will it cost him this time?
The World of Lore, Volume 1: Now a major online streaming series (The World of Lore #1)
by Aaron MahnkeA fascinating, beautifully illustrated guide to the monsters that are part of our collective psyche, from the host of the hit podcast Lore They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our mind. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. And yet, no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them. Werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying creatures, and explores not only the legends but what they tell us about ourselves. Aaron Mahnke invites us to the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where the notorious winged, red-eyed Jersey Devil dwells. Mahnke delves into harrowing accounts of cannibalism-some officially documented, others the stuff of speculation . . . perhaps. He visits the dimly lit rooms where séances take place, the European villages where gremlins make mischief, and Key West, Florida, home of a haunted doll named Robert.The monsters of folklore have become not only a part of our language but a part of our collective psyche. Whether these beasts and bogeymen are real or just a reflection of our primal fears, we know, on some level, that not every mystery has been explained, and that the unknown still holds the power to strike fear deep in our hearts and souls. As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore...Praise for the Lore podcast'Truth can often be much scarier than fiction - something Mahnke proves as he dives deep into the world of folklore and the darker side of history in a quest to root out the fragment of truth at the bottom of our fears." - Entertainment Weekly'Narrated by Mahnke in a style that evokes spooky campfire stories, Lore is a history lesson like no other.' - Esquire(P)2017 Random House Audio
The World of Lore, Volume 1: Now a major online streaming series (The World of Lore #1)
by Aaron MahnkeA fascinating, beautifully illustrated collection of stories from the hit podcast Lore - now an online streaming series They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our mind. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. And yet, no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them. Werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying creatures, and explores not only the legends but what they tell us about ourselves. Aaron Mahnke invites us to the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where the notorious winged, red-eyed Jersey Devil dwells. Mahnke delves into harrowing accounts of cannibalism-some officially documented, others the stuff of speculation . . . perhaps. He visits the dimly lit rooms where séances take place, the European villages where gremlins make mischief, and Key West, Florida, home of a haunted doll named Robert.The monsters of folklore have become not only a part of our language but a part of our collective psyche. Whether these beasts and bogeymen are real or just a reflection of our primal fears, we know, on some level, that not every mystery has been explained, and that the unknown still holds the power to strike fear deep in our hearts and souls. As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore...Praise for the Lore podcast'Truth can often be much scarier than fiction - something Mahnke proves as he dives deep into the world of folklore and the darker side of history in a quest to root out the fragment of truth at the bottom of our fears." - Entertainment Weekly'Narrated by Mahnke in a style that evokes spooky campfire stories, Lore is a history lesson like no other.' - Esquire
The World of Lore, Volume 2: Now a major online streaming series (The World of Lore #2)
by Aaron MahnkeA chilling, lavishly illustrated who's-who of the most despicable people ever to walk the earth, featuring both rare and best-loved stories from the hit podcast Lore, now an online streaming series. Here are the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort - serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double-life - are, in fact, quite real . . . including H. H. Holmes, the infamous Chicago serial killer; William Brodie, the Edinburgh criminal mastermind who inspired The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; and Bela Kiss, a Hungarian tinsmith with a most disturbing hobby: collecting women in gasoline drums. As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even more frightening than the lore.
The World of Lore, Volume 2: Now a major online streaming series (The World of Lore #2)
by Aaron MahnkeA chilling, lavishly illustrated who's-who of the most despicable people ever to walk the earth, featuring both rare and best-loved stories from the hit podcast Lore, now an online streaming series. Here are the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort - serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double-life - are, in fact, quite real . . . including H. H. Holmes, the infamous Chicago serial killer; William Brodie, the Edinburgh criminal mastermind who inspired The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; and Bela Kiss, a Hungarian tinsmith with a most disturbing hobby: collecting women in gasoline drums.As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore.(P)2018 Random House Audio
The World of Lore, Volume 3: Now a major online streaming series (The World of Lore #3)
by Aaron MahnkeFor fans of Neil Gaiman and Welcome to Night Vale, Aaron Mahnke's The World of Lore (based on the hit LORE podcast) explores the chilling truth behind the legendary creatures, peculiar people and horrific places that arouse our deepest fears. Now on online streaming seriesVolume 3: Dreadful PlacesThis third book in The World of Lore series will explore dark and dreadful places on land and at sea, places haunted by tragedy and filled with echoes of evil. These are the stories about cities, and buildings, too, from New Orleans to Louisiana and Richmond, Virginia, as well as infamous places like the Stanley Hotel in Colorado and England's most frightening and brooding castles...
The World of Lore, Volume 3: Now a major online streaming series (The World of Lore #3)
by Aaron MahnkeFor fans of Neil Gaiman and Welcome to Night Vale, Aaron Mahnke's The World of Lore (based on the popular LORE podcast) explores the chilling truth behind the legendary creatures, peculiar people and horrific places that arouse our deepest fears. For you see, sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction...Volume 3: Dreadful PlacesHumans have an uncanny ability to leave their indelible mark. Homes can sometimes reflect the characteristics of their occupants and even cities become more and more like living beings after a century or two. So, it's logical to assume that darker deeds, horrible tragedies, and the worst of human nature all might leave a nefarious taint on some of these places.This third book in The World of Lore series will explore dark and dreadful places on land and at sea, places haunted by tragedy and filled with echo es of evil. These are the stories about cities, and buildings, too, from New Orleans to Louisiana and Richmond, Virginia, as well as infamous places like the Stanley Hotel in Colorado and England's most frightening and brooding castles.(P)2018 Penguin Audio LLC
The World of Minecraft (Minecraft)
by Mojang ABUncover the history of one of the most influential games of all time in The World of Minecraft. Explore how the critically acclaimed game evolved from a one-person project in 2009 to the global gaming phenomenon it is today. The World of Minecraft is the definitive account of the game&’s history, combining exclusive interviews from the Mojang studio and recollections from long-standing members of the gaming community. Read the stories behind mods like Feed The Beast, the growth of community-defining servers like Hypixel, and YouTube channels like The Yogscast, plus a personal account from Lydia Winters on the creation of Alex, the impact of Minecraft charity Block by Block, the origin of the phantom, and many more insights.This must-have collector&’s item includes a foreword from chief creative officer Jens &“Jeb&” Bergensten and an afterword from vanilla Minecraft game director Agnes Larsson, plus original concept art, beautifully detailed renders, and previously unseen archive materials that illustrate how the game has developed over its first fifteen years. Journey back into past eras of the game and look to the future in this comprehensive chronicle of Minecraft&’s story.
World of Mockery
by Sam MoskowitzWhen John Hall walked on Ganymede, a thousand weird beings walked with him. He was one man on a sphere of mocking, mad creatures—one voice in a world of shrieking echoes. Sam Moskowitz was the editor Science-Fiction Plus, in addition he edited two dozen anthologies, and wrote a handful of short stories. His most enduring work is his writing on the history of science fiction, including Explorers of the Infinite and Seekers of Tomorrow, as well as the highly regarded Under the Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of &“The Scientific Romance&” in the Munsey Magazines, 1912–1920.
A World of New (A Shade of Vampire #26)
by Bella Forrest"Because one can't simply fire a Novak. . . " Prepare to be sucked back in to the breathtaking new world of The Shade!
The World of Null-A
by A. E. Van Vogt[from the back cover] "The classic novel of non-Aristotelian logic and the coming race of supermen Grandmaster A. E. van Vogt was one of the giants of the 1940s, the Golden Age of classic SF. Of his masterpieces, The World of Null-A is his most famous and most influential. It was the first major trade SF hardcover ever, in 1949, and has been in print in various editions ever since. The entire careers of Philip K. Dick, Keith Laumer, Alfred Bester, Charles Harness, and Philip Jose Farmer were created or influenced by The World of Null-A, and so it is required reading for anyone who wishes to know the canon of SF classics. It is the year 2650 and Earth has become a world of non-Aristotelianism, or Null-A. This is the story of Gilbert Gosseyn, who lives in that future world where the Games Machine, made up of twenty-five thousand electronic brains, sets the course of people's lives. Gosseyn isn't even sure of his own identity, but realizes he has some remarkable abilities and sets out to use them to discover who has made him a pawn in an interstellar plot."